Page 13 - Summer 2015 Newsletter

The Effects of an Imagery Intervention on the Skill Acquisition

of a Task Involving Coincident Anticipation Timing

Phillip Post, PhD, CC-AASP, New Mexico State University

Duncan Simpson, PhD, CC-AASP, Barry University

Greg Young, PhD, CC-AASP, James Madison University

The AASP Research Grant supported the investigators’

recent study examining how a brief theoretically based

imagery intervention affected learners’ skill acquisition of

a task requiring CAT (in this instance, a ping pong swing).

Speciically, the grant enabled the research team to pur-

chase the equipment (e.g., Lafayette Bassin Anticipation

Timer) necessary to carry out the investigation. After taking

part in a 12-trial pre-test of CAT performance, 112 partici-

Phillip
Duncan Greg
pants (M = 21. 1 age; SD = 4.35) were randomly assigned

into one of four practice groups: physical practice (PP),
POST
SIMPSON YOUNG

imagery practice (IP), physical practice + imagery practice

(PP+IP), or a control (CON) group (no practice).

Imagery is a mental skill that has been extensively examined within sport

Immediately following the pretest, participants assigned psychology over the last ifty years (Weinberg, 2008). The results of this

to the PP group completed 6 blocks of 12 trials (72 total research demonstrate that imagery can assist learners and athletes in ac-

practice trials) of the CAT task. Participants in the IP group quiring sport tasks with varying motor and cognitive demands (Weinberg,

were asked to image the CAT task using a PETLLEP (see 2008; Wright & Smith, 2007; Van Gyn, Wenger, & Gaul, 1990). Despite exten-

Holmes & Collins, 2001) imagery intervention over 6 blocks sive research documenting the beneits of imagery, additional research is

of 12 trials. Participants in the PP+IP group alternated needed to clarify how this mental skill inluences skill acquisition of different

between imagery and physical practice (e.g., block one = sport tasks. For example, the impacts of imagery on the skill acquisition of

physical practice, block two = imagery, etc.) until the six tasks requiring coincident anticipation timing (CAT) remain unknown. CAT

practice blocks were completed. Participants in the CON requires the tracking of the motion of an object, estimation of when it will

group completed a mirror-drawing task during the one-hour arrive at a speciic location, and precise coordination of the actions needed

practice period. After completing their assigned practice, to intercept the object when it arrives at that location (Tresilian, 1995). Such

participants returned 24 hours later to complete a 12-trial timing is a fundamental component of hitting, passing, receiving, and shoot-

post-test.
ing skills required in several sports.

AASP Newsletter // Summer 2015 // The Effects of an Imagery Intervention

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